Pollution Prevention Institute awards $419,000 in research and development projects

Annual funding program supports innovation in sustainability throughout New York state

The New York State Pollution Prevention Institute has awarded approximately $419,000 to fund research and development projects focused on applied research designed to stimulate solutions that will help New York state companies remain competitive while reducing their environmental footprint.

NYSP2I, as part of its ongoing research and development program, annually solicits proposals from faculty and staff at the institute’s partner universities—Clarkson University, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, University at Buffalo, and Rochester Institute of Technology—that support both short- and long-term strategic research intended to drive innovative green technologies for organizations to implement. NYSP2I’s efforts are driven by business and organizational needs and are designed to solve specific issues where the solutions result in transferable practices and technologies.

Current research and development priorities include the elimination or substitution of toxic chemicals, overall waste reduction, and energy-and-water efficiency opportunities in priority manufacturing sectors, as well as projects primarily benefitting the Buffalo area.

This year, NYSP2I provided seed funding to validate a research concept with the expectation that the principle investigator will pursue follow-on funding either from NYSP2I or another sponsor for each feasible research concept. Projects were selected based on their potential to reduce the environmental footprint of businesses in an effective and economical way.

“The New York State Pollution Prevention Institute is very pleased to announce the recipients of research and development grants selected from a competitive application process,” says Anahita Williamson, director. “This funding is designed to further stimulate research efforts and develop innovative solutions in the broad categories of sustainability and pollution prevention.”

The New York State Pollution Prevention Institute is housed at Rochester Institute of Technology and provides statewide, comprehensive and integrated programming in technology research, development and diffusion, training and education aimed at making New York state more sustainable for workers, the public, the environment and the economy. NYSP2I was created in 2008 through a grant from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. Additional partners include Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Clarkson University, State University of New York at Buffalo and New York’s 10 Regional Technology Development Centers. To learn more, go to www.nysp2i.rit.edu.